A hundred years of debates on sex differences: Developing research for social change
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Poeschl, Gabrielle
Abstract / Description
After women secured the right to vote some hundred years ago, the assertions about their innate inferiority gradually began to vanish, giving way to theories about the countless aspects which apparently differentiated them from men. In this paper, we follow the evolution of research on sex differences, starting with the work of the first female psychologists who questioned the theories that justified women’s subordinate positions in society. We trace the main developments of the studies on sex differences, their relationship with social roles, gender stereotypes, and gender identity, and describe the strategies used to highlight the role of society rather than of biology in shaping men and women’s personalities and behaviors. We describe the controversies this area of research gave rise to, the debates over its political implications, and the changes observed over time in women’s social positions and within research perspectives. Finally, we discuss the mutually reinforcing effects of social organization and lay conceptions of gender and reflect on how the field of research on sex differences has contributed to building a fairer society.
Keyword(s)
gender sex differences social roles gender stereotypes gender identity social changePersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2021-06-07
Journal title
Journal of Social and Political Psychology
Volume
9
Issue
1
Page numbers
221–235
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Poeschl, G. (2021). A hundred years of debates on sex differences: Developing research for social change. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 9(1), 221-235. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.6399
-
jspp.v9i1.841.pdfAdobe PDF - 231.56KBMD5: 712c95d3ae171e040b4d137e4b1d01d0
-
There are no other versions of this object.
-
Author(s) / Creator(s)Poeschl, Gabrielle
-
PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2022-04-14T11:24:10Z
-
Made available on2022-04-14T11:24:10Z
-
Date of first publication2021-06-07
-
Abstract / DescriptionAfter women secured the right to vote some hundred years ago, the assertions about their innate inferiority gradually began to vanish, giving way to theories about the countless aspects which apparently differentiated them from men. In this paper, we follow the evolution of research on sex differences, starting with the work of the first female psychologists who questioned the theories that justified women’s subordinate positions in society. We trace the main developments of the studies on sex differences, their relationship with social roles, gender stereotypes, and gender identity, and describe the strategies used to highlight the role of society rather than of biology in shaping men and women’s personalities and behaviors. We describe the controversies this area of research gave rise to, the debates over its political implications, and the changes observed over time in women’s social positions and within research perspectives. Finally, we discuss the mutually reinforcing effects of social organization and lay conceptions of gender and reflect on how the field of research on sex differences has contributed to building a fairer society.en_US
-
Publication statuspublishedVersion
-
Review statuspeerReviewed
-
CitationPoeschl, G. (2021). A hundred years of debates on sex differences: Developing research for social change. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 9(1), 221-235. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.6399en_US
-
ISSN2195-3325
-
Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/5660
-
Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.6264
-
Language of contenteng
-
PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
-
Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.6399
-
Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4771
-
Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.4771
-
Keyword(s)genderen_US
-
Keyword(s)sex differencesen_US
-
Keyword(s)social rolesen_US
-
Keyword(s)gender stereotypesen_US
-
Keyword(s)gender identityen_US
-
Keyword(s)social changeen_US
-
Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
-
TitleA hundred years of debates on sex differences: Developing research for social changeen_US
-
DRO typearticle
-
Issue1
-
Journal titleJournal of Social and Political Psychology
-
Page numbers221–235
-
Volume9
-
Visible tag(s)Version of Recorden_US